Memories
by Lakritzwolf
Summary: Just a short drabble to celebrate the anniversary of Generations I. Nothing more than that, really. I guess it won't make much sense without knowing the story... but maybe as a short story in itself, it somehow does.


...memories...

_Directing his steps away from the harbour towards the bustling streets of Tortuga, Jack could not possibly be in a better mood. A ship, a crew, all waiting for him in the harbour, waiting for their captain. Him. Sure, the bargain to get aforesaid ship was maybe a bit tough, but thirteen years is a long time. He could not wipe the grin of his face._

_Especially not when a dark, soft voice hailed him from the shadows of a corner. "Hey there, sailor. Fancy a bit of fun?"_

_The grin turning into his usual, half-annoying smirk, Jack turned around to see the outline of a woman emerge from the shadow. Only when she stepped into the light, however, did he notice something odd about her frame.  
The hair, for once. It was cropped short, outgrowing, but still hardly reaching her shoulders. He wasn't too sure with the failing daylight, but it might have been red. _

_But what really struck him was her face. It was not even the spent, worn expression of an old whore. It was gaunt, lifeless, pale. Incredibly thin, as was the whole body of the girl, for she was hardly more than that, he realised. Starved, desperate creature, he thought. Looks hardly like fun what you might have to offer._

"_No", he said and turned around. He was looking for some real amusement, not some bleak act of listless desperation._  
"_Wait!"__  
She followed him, and rolling his eyes heavenwards, Jack accelerated his pace._  
"_Please!"_

_Oh what the heck, he thought. T'was me lucky day today, so I could even afford a little charity. So he stopped, pulled a small bag from his belt and turned around. "Here", he said, tossing the coin-filled bag to the starved girl with the hollow eyes. "Get yerself something to eat and stop bothering me."  
She stopped then as she caught the bag, and clutching it to her chest, she stared at him with a mute mixture of shame and gratefulness. _

_Not wishing to look upon this misery any longer, to look for some real amusement, namely some whores who knew their business well enough, Jack then turned around and left the girl to herself and the night surrounding them. _

_x x x x x x x x_

"_Hey!"_

_Jack froze and turned around very slowly, even with the voice being female, his hands travelled to his belt where they cautiously reached for sword and pistol. A woman emerged from the shadows, and although it took Jack a while, he was in no doubt that she was the very same girl who had hailed him in this very spot two years ago, the starved creature he had all but forgotten._

_But obviously, fate had made up for whatever had left her in such a sorry state, for she looked a lot better, her form filled out, her hair grown long again, and her eyes filled with life and a sparkle. She smiled. Jack returned the smile, albeit cautiously at first._

"_Have we met before, darling?"_  
"_We have." She crossed her arms as she stepped completely free of the shadows. "And I'd like to thank you."_  
"_A long memory for a thanks."  
She shrugged. "Ye've saved my life, fair enough. And more than that."  
Jack felt his eyebrows rise. _

_The girl shrugged again. "I used the money well. A generous gift."_  
"_I must admit ye do look a lot better."_  
"_I made a vow never to suffer hunger again." She crossed her arms._  
"_Well, I had made a lucky catch yon day", Jack said then with a half-grin that she instantly returned._  
"_So have I, as it seems. I bought myself into a street gang of pickpockets."  
"Pickpockets", Jack said, his grin freezing a little as he carefully and unobtrusively patted his own pockets to check the whereabouts of his money._

_She laughed. "A poor thanks that would be", she said._  
"_And yet, a perfectly honest and acceptable one for the streets of Tortuga, darling", Jack said with a grin._  
"_Oh, aye", the girl gave back with a snort. "But still. I survived the last two years because of you and your gift. And it enabled me to learn a trade I much more prefer for a living than whoring." She stepped a little closer, still smiling. "Got any plans for tonight?"__  
Jack gave her a long look, then mustered her whole form. "You just said..."  
"Aye, I know what I said. But I don't want anything for it. Just call it returning a favour." She winked. Jack grinned._

_x x x x x x x x_

_The room in the inn was small but clean, the bed narrow but comfortable. The single candle cast a flickering pool of light. _

_Not long after the clock struck midnight the girl beside him peeled herself out of the blanket and reached for her clothes. "Time for duties."  
Jack watched her dress. "Will I see ye again, darling?"  
She looked up and smiled. "If ye want it so, sure."_  
"_So what's your name, then?"__  
This time, she looked up without a smile. Several seconds passed before her lips twitched into something resembling a smile, yet it did not reach her eyes. She took a breath._  
"_Morgan", she said._

_Jack only nodded..._

...and the candle flickered.

Two pairs of eyes met across the pool of light on the table, one dark brown, the other mossy green.

"Well then", Jack said slowly as he reached for his cane.

Morgan nodded and looked at her pipe while Jack got up. "I'll pass the message on, Jack. Can't say how long it'll take, though."  
"Fair enough." He reached for his hat and put it on. Then, as if in an afterthought, he looked at his old friend again.  
After a moment, Morgan realised this and looked up. "Aye?"  
"Morgan's not your real name, is it?", Jack asked.

A few seconds later, Morgan's lips twitched as she knocked the pipe against the table top to remove the ashes. After another two or three seconds, Jack nodded with a small smirk, tipped the brim of his hat and left.

"It is now", was all she said as Jack was already closing the door.


End file.
